Ghostly Visits
by N.V.9
Summary: If Hinata's normal life wasn't bad enough with concerns about grades and boys, she now has a cute little ghost child following her around. DISCONTINUED
1. Chapter 1

**Look toward profile/bio for disclaimer and anything else involving this story.**

Dear Diary:

It's me again, the one and only Hinata Hyuga. Today is my birthday so now I'm seventeen. Seventeen and still crushing on the guy of my dreams. Kiba Inuzuka, the hottest guy in our whole school. Why wont he just look at me?

He's so perfect. He's great at every sport he plays, which would explain why he's captain of so many different teams. He has amazing hair and his eyes are to die for. He's not to big or small. He's the way any perfect guy is supposed to be.

What does Fuuka have that I don't? We are both cheerleaders, well she's the head cheerleader. We are both the same height and body weight. we have the same shape and long hair. The only difference is she is outgoing and manipulative. She always seems to laugh at someone else's expense. To the teachers and other students, she's a sweet tempered and very friendly girl. But I know the truth, I've seen what she does to the poor souls that get in her way. I was one of them.

I hear someone coming. I dont want anyone to know I keep a diary.

Dear Diary:

It's been a few weeks I last wrote something. Let's see... My sister has become more popular then me. She used to go to another private school, but father decided he wanted us to both go together. He says we are to distant that we are more strangers then anything else. She's exactly like me to. She's shy but not afraid to prove someone wrong. On her first day she stopped a girl from getting bullied by our school bullies, Tayuya and crew. She became a hero in our school's eyes because no one messed with Tayuya. yet there was my sister staring the other girl down.

Fuuka took Hanabi right under her wing to. I think Hanabi's even dating Sai, our school artist.

I wouldnt be surprised if Hanabi would be made a cheerleader. Maybe i'm feeling a little jealous. here I am working over time just to be noticed by my crush and friends and here she is just waltzing in. I think everyone forgot i exist.

Dear Diary:

I have amazing news. Kiba, the love of my life, just asked me out. he came up to me during study hall and asked if I was doing anything Saturday. When i shook my head no, he asked if I wanted to go with him to the movies. When I mentioned Fuuka he said they were over. That he caught her with some other guy.

So who was I to say no to my crush. What should I wear?

Dear Diary:

i met the most sweetest child alive. He's five. He has soft blonde hair and the brightest blue eyes ever. He caught me writing in my dairy on the bus. he asked what I was doing and I told him I was writing about my date to come. he wants me to write about him. His mother is smiling softly from beside him. She apologized about her son but I told her it was okay.

His name is Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze. He's on his way to see his father at work. He's going to be a big brother. I asked if he had a younger brother or sister and he said none yet, but he's going to get a baby sister. His mother say's she is seven weeks along.

Naruto want's to write more about him. He tells me he likes ramen, orange, his best friend Sasuke and Sasuke's older brother Itachi, who is kind of scary when mad. he says that he and Sasuke are always pulling pranks on him so Itachi is always mad. We both stop writing as the bus jerks to the right.

Dear Diary:

I died, but came back. The bus caring us to our destination lost traction and tipped over. Naruto and his mother didnt make it. I almost didnt make it either. the doctor had trouble keeping me alive. It took two days of both him and me fighting for my life. now I'm so tired I just want to rest. I dont want to think anymore. It hurts to think about what happened. it hurts to think about the last expression I saw on Naruto and his mother's face was fear and sadness. I just want to close my eyes now. who know's when I'll write again. Maybe never, maybe someday. Just not now.


	2. Chapter 2

**Look toward profile/bio for disclaimer and anything else involving this story.**

Hinata stared out the window of her hospital room. She watched the sun bouncing off the windows of other room. She watched as birds landed on the grass only to take off seconds later. Placing a hand against the window, she wished she could go home.

It had been almost four months since her accident and every night of those four months she dreamt of the little boy with the golden hair. Sometimes it seemed so real, as if she could reach out and touch him. Sometimes she could hear his voice as he spoke to her of things she never remembered when she woke. She knew what they were speaking about was important but why it was she didn't know.

"Hinata?"

At the sound of her name Hinata turned quickly and gasped in shock. Kiba stood at her door holding a red rose. This was the first time he had ever come to visit her.

"Ki-kiba." Hinata blushed as he came closer with a smile never leaving his lips.

"I brought you a present." Kiba smiled handing it to her. "I never got to give you one on our date..."

"Th-thank y-you." Hinata knew her face could rival a tomato. "Wo-would y-you li-like to sit?" Calm yourself Hinata, she thought, he's going to think you're an idiot.

"Okay." Kiba nodded moving to an open chair beside the bed, "Should you be up already? I mean it's only been four months."

"The doctor said it's good for me." Hinata said proud of herself. "I only broke my arm in six places and... yeah." Idiot. Why would Kiba care about hearing all of the gory details?

"Ouch." Kiba flinched, "Can you use your arm?" He asked after a while.

Looking down at her right arm as if it just appeared, Hinata blinked at the wrapping around it. She had a cast on it but got it remove only two months ago. She was still relearning how to use it.

"Sometimes it's easy to use... Most times it gets really tired."

Kiba nodded and looked around. Hinata hated herself for not being able to be rid of the awkward silence. Before she could think of anything more people came in.

"HINATA!" Ino yelled happily as she hugged the girl. "Look at you looking all alive!"

Hinata giggled at Ino's humor. How she missed Ino. Ino could make everything okay with just a few words.

"Hello Ino." Kiba said waving from his slouched position.  
"Kiba! You can't be here! This is girls time only! Go away!" Ino said pointing to the door.

Not waiting to be told twice Kiba left with a 'good-bye everyone'. Hinata shook off the hurt. He didn't have to give her a kiss or anything, she just wished he would have said, a goodbye just for her and then one for the group.

"Okay!" Ino said sitting on the bed with her legs crossed, "What are we going to talk about?"

X~x~X  
When it turned six o clock Hinata was alone in her room. Ino and the others had left two hours ago. Her sister and father had come for a short time around five and left only ten minutes after they arrived.

Her doctor visited her twice durning the day to see how she was doing and to check a few things. Her doctor also said she'd be able to leave in two days.

After using the bathroom she washed her face as best as she could.

"Hinata!"

At the sound of her name, Hinata jumped with her heart in her throat and looked around. She could have sworn she heard it right behind her. God maybe she was losing it.

Grabbing a towel she dabbed at her face after turning off the water. Did she hear her name? No it was impossible. No one she knew sounded that young.

Shaking her head she put the towel down and looked into the mirror.

"Wh-what?" she said as she saw a little blond child with blue eyes standing right behind with a big smile on his face. Turning quickly she spotted only empty air. Looking back toward the mirror she only saw herself. With goosebumps running down her arms she turned off the light and left the bathroom and climbed into her bed. Closing her eyes she willed herself to sleep.

"My name is Naruto. Don't you remember me?" a small child whispered from the darkness as he watched the girl sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Look toward profile/bio for disclaimer and anything else involving this story.**

Hinata sighed as she got ready for school. She had missed to much already and had quiet a bit of assignments she had to catch up on. Already she had done a few but still...

"Are you ready?" Hanabi asked already in her uniform, her expression calm and unreadable as everyone else in their family. Only Hinata was unable to do that. Everything she thought could be read upon her face. She was an open book that any could read if they wanted. The Hyuuga's were known throughout the world as perfect specimens that many wished to be part of. They were looked up to and thought highly of. To be part of them was an honor. Hinata never felt honored. She only felt pain.

"In a few minutes. I need to get my bag." Hinata gave her younger sister a smile. Not that it mattered since Hanabi was already turning away.

"I'll be down stairs."

"Okay." Hinata whispered. You would think two sisters so close in age would at least be able to speak like they were close. But that would never happen. Hinata would never be close to anyone in her family. She was the black sheep that didn't meet their standards or anyone elses for that matter.

People saw her and walked all over her. Even if she tried to defend herself, the moment of confidence was quickly beaten out of her.

With another sigh she turned to the mirror above her dresser and gasped. The color leaving her face. The little boy smiled and opened his mouth but before he could say anything Hinata screamed and turned, falling to the ground in the process.

Only when she realized she was still screaming did she stop.  
"Hinata!" her father shouted running into her room with Hanabi right behind him. "What is wrong?"

"I, I," what was wrong? The little boy was gone as if he'd never been there. Turning to the mirror she found it empty of everything save for herself, her father and Hanabi.

"Hinata." her father commanded helping her stand with a frown never leaving his face.

"It's nothing." Hinata whispered, already feeling ashamed for her actions.

"Why did you scream if it was nothing?" Her father demanded.

"I'm sorry." Hinata trembled and bowed her head. She knew her actions had angered her father. He had a routine that he stuck to and demanded them to follow. She threw him off this morning and would most likely be punished.

With a frown in place, he turned and walked off. When Hanabi made no move to follow, Hinata quickly assured her she was alright.  
"Must you overreact to everything?" Hanabi bit out before turning and stalking out. What Hinata heard though was 'Why must you bring shame to us? You are nothing like us'.

With another glance to the mirror, Hinata followed her sister out of her room and to the waiting car.

At school, it was like nothing had happened. Her life wasn't that important to even acknowledge or ruin the lives of the students around her. Her teachers asked if she was okay and when she nodded yes, they would say that was wonderful and walk away. Her friends, co-cheerleaders, did the same.

Only because she was a Hyuuga did she get that much treatment. No one cared enough to make sure she really was alright. No one cared enough to even listen to the story of the accident or ask what if felt like to almost die. Instead it was her sister that got the sympathy. She was the one everyone worried over. She was the one that they all cared for.

When school was over Hinata went to practice like always, only to stop at the door. Inside the cheerleaders were already practicing without her. What hurt the most was seeing her own sister in her place. So they replaced her.

It angered her to know that Hanabi was better then she was. It angered her to see the way the other cheerleaders reacted to Hanabi. They treated her like one of them. They treated her like a friend.

With tears building in her eyes, Hinata turned away and left the gym. All that she worked for was gone in an instant. Her sister, like always, was taking her place.

When would she see that no matter what she did she would never measure up to Hanabi? That Hanabi was always the better of the two?

Entering a bathroom she moved to one of the stalls and began to cry.

"Why are you crying?" a little voice asked from the otherside.

Instantly Hinata froze and didn't dare to move. She heard that voice before. It was the voice of the little boy that died.

"Can you hear me?" the little boy asked. "It's me, Naruto. Remember we were talking before the bus fell? Hello? Hinata?"

When he knocked on the door, Hinata felt her blood turn to ice. Her heart was beating a mile a minute and her body refused to move.

"Hinata? Can you hear me?" he asked knocking again.

"H-how... How are you here?" Hinata got out.

"I don't know." Naruto answered. "I woke up and here I was. I can't find my mommy and my daddy doesn't see me. He doesn't listen to me when I call him. Even Sasuke can't see me."  
At the sound of sniffling, Hinata felt a pang in her heart.  
"I don't think they love me anymore." Naruto said as he cried.

Before Hinata knew what she was doing, she opened the stall and saw Naruto rubbing at his eyes as he cried and bowed his head.

"Come here." Hinata held out her arms and when Naruto moved closer she hugged him. Behind him the stall door closed again. "It's okay." she whispered and marvled at how real he felt.

Naruto nodded as he wrapped his tiny arms around her neck. Humming softly Hinata ran a hand up and down his little back. Closing her eyes she realized how similar she and Naruto were. He was a ghost that felt real to her but was unable to be seen, touched, or heard by another. She was alive and was real to the world but no one cared.

Was it odd that she accepted him as a ghost so easily? Maybe it was but even she couldn't be cold to a child that cried in such a broken way.

When she heard the bathroom door open and a few people enter she went silent. Naruto stilled in her arms and looked behind him in confusion. "What's going on Hinata?" he whispered.  
Hinata shook her head and held a finger to her lips.  
Looking through the thin crack, Hinata saw her sister, Fuuka and another cheerleader, Sakura, standing at the mirror over the sinks.

"I can't believe she skipped practice." Fuuka was saying. "Hello, you want to be a cheerleader but you don't show up? What is up with that?"

"She did just get out of the hospital. It's understandable." Sakura said applying lipgloss.

"What does that matter? She came to school, the least she could do is show up." Fuuka stated.

"And do what? Sit in the corner?" Sakura asked. "It's not like she can do much-"

"She can't do anything." Fuuka interrupted. "Everything she does is pathetic. Even when she tries she fails. How can you be related to her Hanabi?"

"She is my sister." Hanabi stated in her calm tone.

"Poor girl, having something like that to look up to." Fuuka shook her head in pity as they walked out of the bathroom. "So what's up with you and Sai? I didn't see you guys-"

Long after they were gone, Hinata sat quietly in the bathroom with Naruto still in her arms.

"Hinata?" Naruto called her name. "Who were they talking about?"

"Nobody." Hinata forced a small smile. "Nobody." Standing she grabbed Naruto's hand in her own and lead him out of the bathroom.

Going the long way around the school she kept her head down and avoided everything or one that came close as she nodded to Naruto's words. His endless chatter bringing a smile to her face and blocking out Fuuka's words.

When she crashed into someone she jumped and quickly bowed her head in apology. "Forgive me." she said moving around him.  
"Of course." He rasped softly.

At the sound of his voice Hinata looked up quickly and gasped. In front of her stood Gaara Sabaku. He was labled insane by the students of the school and was avoided at all cost by everyone. The way he looked, talked, acted made it more believable.

With another bow Hinata turned and picked up her pace. With Naruto's hand still in hers, she looked over her shoulder.

Gaara was still standing there watching her... No, not her, Naruto. He was watching Naruto.

"Hinata, who is that mister?" Naruto asked turning his head to watch Gaara. "He looks nice."

Hinata looked down at Naruto in shock. Gaara looked like many things but nice was not one of them.  
"I like him." Naruto smiled and waved at Gaara. Turning Hinata looked back toward Gaara again and gasped as he waved back. When he met her gaze he nodded, turned and walked off.

How did he see Naruto?


	4. Chapter 4

**Look toward profile/bio for disclaimer and anything else involving this story.**

"I like your room, it's pretty and it smells good." Naruto smiled as he looked around her room. His little hands running over little figurines that she collected over the years.

"Thank you." Hinata smiled as she sat on her bed and watch Naruto make faces at himself in her mirror. "Naruto... Why are you here?" she asked softly.

"You brought me here silly." He giggled turning to face her.

With her own soft laugh she shook her head and tried again. "Not here in my room but how are you here? I mean... the bus and..." How was she supposed to ask a child about when he died?

"The bus scared me but mommy held me close. Now I can't find her." Naruto scrunched up his face. "Can you help me find her?"

"I don't know where to look." Hinata admitted.

"By the bus. I saw her there and daddy always says to stay where you last remember seeing the person you were with. He say's it's easier to be found. But I don't know where the bus is." Naruto pouted. "But I went home too and daddy didn't see me. Maybe he thought I was at the bus and still with mommy."

"Hm, let's look online to find where the bus is." Hinata suggested and moved to her computer.

"Itachi has a computer too, he won't let me and Sasuke play with it because he says we're babies." Naruto moved toward her side and watched as the computer lit up. "But I'm not. I'm going to be a big brother. Daddy said so."

Hinata tried to hide the flinch at Naruto's words. He was supposed to be a big brother but now he never would be. His baby sibling was gone with his mother.

"So I'm not the baby anymore. Sasuke wants a baby brother now so he won't be the baby either." Naruto giggled. "I told him he's the oldest baby alive."

"What did Sasuke say?"

"He said no he wasn't. He said he was going to tell his mommy that he didn't want to be a baby anymore."

Hinata smiled at his words as she typed in her passward and then moments later she was on the internet. Typing in fatal bus crash in Konoha, she waited and then gasped at the pictures of the bus she was on.

The only way she could tell it was a bus was because a small portion of it was still in tact while the other half was all gone. The only reason she survived was because she was sitting on that small portion. In the picture it showed fire coming out of the engine and blurred outline of what she assumed were bodies.

"That's the bus." Naruto said touching the screen. "It looks funny now."

"It does." Hinata nodded and read what it said underneath it. 'Konoha bus tips over in freak accident taking out more then half the bus and claiming twenty five lives. Four of which were seniors, one was a child and the rest between eighteen and thirty years old. Only one survivor.'

Twenty-six people were on that bus and she was the only one to come out alive. Twenty five people that were going about their day didn't know that they'd lose their lives the second they stepped on that bus. No it was twenty six people that died. Naruto's mom was expecting another child.

"Do you see my mommy?" Naruto asked. Hinata jumped and turned to look down into his blue eyes. She had forgotten he was there.

"No... I think they moved her."

"Oh, where?"

"I don't know." Hinata said turning back to the screen and trying to find more information. From the site, she learned that they still didn't know how it happend and that the crash was being investigated.

How did a bus weighing about 14 tons just tip over?

"Can we go find her? Maybe when we do, daddy will stop crying." Naruto frowned. "I saw him crying and tried to tell him to stop but he didn't see me."

"I'm going to check something else." Hinata said typing in Naruto's name.

"That's daddy." Naruto said pointing to his father dressed in a suit and looking lost and confused. "That's Sasuke's dad and his mom. And that's Sasuke and Itachi... Sasuke's crying," Naruto giggled. "I told him he was a baby... Itachi's crying too. Wait until I tell him someone took his picture."

The man looked like what Naruto might look like when he was older. It showed him looking down at two coffins with the Sasuke's family and a bunch of other people as the priest was caught mid speech. 'Man buries whole family in one day' was the title of the page.

"What's in the box?" Naruto asked.

"It's-"  
"Who are you talking too?" Hanabi asked coming into her room with a bag over her shoulder.

Jumping Hinata turned and met her sister's curious stare.

"And what are you looking at?"

"Nothing." Hinata said exiting the page.

"Hm... Why didn't you go to practice?" Hanabi asked sitting on Hinata's bed.

"I wasn't feeling well." Hinata said.

"She was the one being mean." Naruto whispered looking over at her sister.

"You could have let us know."

Why? It's not like they cared that she went or not. "When did you join?"

"When you got in your accident." Hanabi answered. "They needed someone to replace you and I was asked by Fuuka."

That hurt. Hanabi could have at least said she needed to get her mind off of whether Hinata would die or not. "I'm happy for you." In truth she felt more alone. Not even her supposed friends cared. Did anyone even wonder if she'd die?

"Thank you... I have to start my homework." and her sister left without a goodbye.

Was it so hard to say, 'I'm glad your alive'? Maybe Hinata should have died, maybe then her family would have cried.


	5. Chapter 5

**Look toward profile/bio for disclaimer and anything else involving this story.**

The next morning, Hinata got ready for school as Naruto jumped happily on her bed singing some little ditty or other. She wasn't exactly sure what he was singing, or rather, yelling since she only caught a few words here and there that made sense.

Putting her brush down, she turned to the little blonde and smiled. "Naruto, I have to go to school now, do you think you will be alright alone?"

At once the little boy stopped jumping and looked at her with his bottom lip trembling. "Do I have too?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" Hinata asked moving to stand in front of him as he walked to the edge of the bed and played with a strand of her hair.

With his little head bent, he said, "I don't like to be alone. It's scary... Don't tell Sasuke I said that."

With a small smile gracing her lips, she nodded. Was it weird that she easily accepted that this little ghost was now following her? Shouldn't she be freaking out? Sure she already had her freak out session, but was that all she was going to have? "I won't tell Sasuke, but I don't know if you'll like school. I don't really even like it."

"But if you go, I can go with you and I'll be good. I promise I won't make a mess." he pleaded giving her puppy eyes with tears and all. How could she say no to that? Only a cruel person could say no.

"Alright. But if you get bored, remember I warned you."

"YES!" he shouted and threw his arms around her. With a gasp, she caught him and smiled into his neck. She'd never had anyone react to her in such a way. Everyone was over polite and a little cold because of who she was on her last name. This easy affection from the boy, made her want to cry.

"Okay, come on before we're late." she went on as she put him down and he immeditaly took her hand. With a soft smile still on her lips, she went down stairs, stopped at the kitchen to get her lunch and two apples for breakfast and headed to the waiting car. Finding it empty of her sister, she sighed in relief. It seems Hanabi had left early, most likely taking more places that Hinata used to fill.

The long drive to school was one of the most amusing rides Hinata had ever had as Naruto told her stories that his parents told him or things he and Sasuke did to annoy Itachi and steal his stuff. She may have looked like a loone if anyone were to catch her laughing at nothing but she didn't care. Naruto made it possible to see passed her image. He lived the life she always wished for herself.

As the car came to a stop she shushed Naruto with a playful smile and a finger over her lips. Grasping his tiny hand she waited for the door to be open and walked out, making sure to take her time so that Naruto could get out without the door going through him. That was something he shouldn't have to worry about. With her hand at her side, slightly curled, no one could tell that she was holding a child's hand.

"Look there is that nice mister!" Naruto pointed as he spotted Gaara walking ahead of them. "Can we go say hi?" he asked sending her puppy eyes again.

Before Hinata could answer and say she rather not talk to Gaara for the reason being that he sort of scared her, Kiba came up to her.

"Hey," he smiled as he walked beside her, "sorry I didn't see you yesterday."

"It's fine." She said with a slight blush covering her face. "You have school and practice to worry about."

"True, but I could have still made time." Kiba went on with a grin as he turned his head to face her. "So listen, to make up for it, would you like to have coffee with me after school? We can go to the cafe in town."

"Uh, yes, if you, I mean, if you don't mind." she said as her face got even redder. Kiba was asking her out again. Maybe her life would be different from now on. Maybe people would begin to care. Kiba had to care if he asked her out right?

"Cool, I'll meet you there." with a grin in place he said goodbye and ran to catch up with his friends.

"I don't like him." Naruto said startling Hinata out of her happy daze.

"What? Why? Kiba's really nice and sweet." Not to mention she had been in love with him since she first saw him.

"I just don't. Itachi says when you don't like someone when you first meet them, there's a reason." Naruto shrugged as he looked around for someone. "The mister's gone." he sighed. "Can we go find him?"

"I have to get to class." Hinata said and then realized that people were staring at her oddly. To them it looked like she was talking to herself... oh god! With a blush covering her entire body she practically ran from the whispers and laughter at her mortification.

Going to her locker, she put her stuff away as she grabbed a few books and her notebook.

"You run fast." Naruto panted as he looked around.

"Sorry." she whispered as she turned to her first class.

Finding her normal seat toward the back on the left side of the room, Hinata put her things down and whispered for Naruto to sit in the empty seat beside her. No one ever sat in it in the first place. No one wanted to sit next to her unless they were forced. She never understood why people found her so unwanting or beneath themselves that they didn't want to be her friend.

Maybe she was overthinking her situation. There were lots of people like her, getting the same treatment, feeling alone, being unloved. She wasn't anything special. She was just another girl that tried too hard to be accepted and never would be. Maybe with Kiba... Maybe her life would change now.

As the class slowly filled up and the teacher finally came in, Hinata put her attention completely on today's lesson.

As the day went on, Naruto slowly became bored and restless and soon began walking up and down the rows of desk as he talked to Hinata. Many times Hinata had to catch herself from telling the blonde to behave. She simply watched him as he made funny faces at people and looked through peoples bags as he told her what was in them and asked her what certain things were. Some of the things he had found, had made Hinata blush in shock and look at certain people in a new light.

When lunch time came around, Hinata was on the verge of cracking with laughter, or with annoyance since Naruto constantly distracted her and made her want to laugh. Sometimes she did break out laughing but quickly turned it into a cough which everyone believed it to be.

"You are going to drive me nuts." she told Naruto as she ignored the table of her 'friends' and sat with him under a tree.

"How come? What are we eating? How come you don't have a cookie?" he asked when she opened her lunch bag. "What's all the green stuff? Why does the sandwhich look funny?"

And on and on he went as he picked at her food and tried everything. In the end he said her lunch was gross but Hinata had to refrain herself from pointing out that he ate it all. How was that possible? How did a ghost eat food?

"Hinata what's up? Why are you all alone?" Kiba asked as he came up to her with a football in hand and crouched in front of her.

"Oh, um, I just felt like... too much going on and... I'm trying to get myself back into the swing of things." She smiled and blushed bright red as he nodded in confusion. "What are you doing?" she asked quickly.

"Oh, nothing. Just waiting for Sora to get back from the Dean's office. He got into it again with another kid. Not sure what started it but, what are you gonna do?" he said shrugging his shoulders as he turned his head to nod at someone calling his name. Following his gaze, Hinata saw it was Suigetsu and around him where other football players and the cheerleaders. One of which was the head cheerleader who was currently glaring at Hinata. Just that look scared her enough to quickly look away. "Anyway, we're still on for today right?"

"Say no." Naruto said watching Kiba.

"Yes." Hinata nodded.  
"Cool, oh there's Sora, see you after school." he called as he took off.

"Hinata, you didn't say no." Naruto pouted as he watched Kiba.

"I like him." Hinata defended herself. "A lot."

"How come you don't like the mister?" Naruto questioned. "He's nicer. I like him."

"You mean Gaara? He's not... Well, he kind of scares me. You see Gaara, is a loner and-"

"But he's nice." Naruto said again. "Look there he is!"

Turning her head, Hinata spotted Gaara as he walked out of one building and headed toward another.

"Come on let's go!" Naruto shouted before taking off.

"Naruto come back." Hinata said before packing her stuff quickly and following him. She felt responsible for Naruto and she couldn't stand the thought of him getting hurt. With that thought in mind, she followed her little charge.


	6. Chapter 6

**Look toward profile/bio for disclaimer and anything else involving this story.**

"Naruto?" she called, looking into classrooms and down the empty hallways. "Naruto where are you?"

Turning another corner she frowned in worry. The second he had entered this building, Hinata had lost sight of the tiny blonde. "Naruto?"

"-then I told Sasuke, 'Itachi is gonna kill us!'" she heard Naruto giggling through an open doorway. "And when Itachi saw his room, my daddy said he bet people could hear Itachi screaming in space!"

Moving toward the empty classroom, Hinata opened the door wider and stepped in. At the back of the classroom, Naruto sat on a desk, swinging his legs and talking to Gaara.

"Did he try to kill you?" Gaara rasped softly from the counter he was sitting on.

"Yeah! He chased me and Sasuke around the yard but we hid in my room!" Naruto nodded happily, "Hinata!" he shouted spotting her.

"Naruto you shouldn't run off like that. It took me forever to find you." she scolded him. "I'm sorry for Naruto," she bowed to Gaara. Was she really speaking to the red head? The last time she spoke to him was the day of her cousin's funeral nine years ago.

"It's fine," Gaara answered, shrugging it off, "I enjoyed speaking to Naruto."

"Hinata," Naruto said jumping off the desk and running to hug her, "Guess what!"

"What?" She answered unable to stop the smile from forming on her face.

"Gaara said that he can help me find my mommy and take me home!" Naruto went on excitedly.

"Home?" Hinata blinked. She knew one day she'd had to let Naruto go but the thought of sending him away made her want to cry. In such a short time she had become used to Naruto in her life. Naruto made her feel normal. He didn't expect her to be more then what she was. Turning her gaze she met Gaara's own. "You know how to get him home?"

"Yes," Gaara nodded. "It's what I do."

"And what exactly do you do?" Hinata asked as Naruto started running around the teacher's desk. "How do you see him?" she asked when she moved closer to him, not wanting Naruto to hear her. "How are you able to talk to him?"

"The same way you are." Gaara shrugged, "I died."

"What?" Hinata gasped in surprise, taking a step back. "But..."

"The doctors saved my life and when they brought me back they brought them."

"Them?" Hinata questioned and then followed his finger to Naruto. "Ghost."

"Yes," Gaara nodded.

"Naruto doesn't know he's, you know." Hinata bit her lip.

"None of them do. It took Neji a while-"

"Neji!" Hinata gasped. "You see Neji!"

"He is my best friend, it would only be natural that he'd be the first ghost I've seen." Gaara explained. Neji had been Gaara's best friend since they were five. Around seven, Neji had became ill and at nine, he had passed away. After his death, Gaara refused to speak to everyone and isolated himself. Neji was also the only one that treated Hinata like she was worthy of being noticed. He made her feel special.

"Neji, is he-"

"He left when I figured out how to send him home." Gaara answered, sadness running through his eyes.

"Oh," Hinata deflated. She would have liked to have seen her cousin. She would loved to have heard his voice one more time. She missed Neji. "I see."

"He's happy now," Gaara went on, "It's better then being stuck in the inbetween."

"Can I go home now?" Naruto asked, breaking into their conversation as he jumped in place. "I want to tell Sasuke about the picture of him and Itachi crying like babies!" he giggled again. "I told him he was a baby and now I have proof!"

"Naruto we have school," Hinata reminded him gently. "We can't go in the middle of it."

"What about after?" Naruto asked hopefully.

"No," she answered, "I have to catch up on classes and homework."

"Oh, okay." Naruto answered sadly.

Kissing his forehead, Hinata smiled, "Don't worry, we'll get you home alright. Now lets go to my next class before the bell rings."

"Okay, bye Gaara." Naruto waved as he headed out the door.

"Don't get attached or you will only hurt them more." Gaara called after her. Without acknowledging him, Hinata left the classroom and found Naruto crouched down and tracing the patterns on the floor.

"I know you want to get home Naruto and I promise I'll take you home soon." Hinata smiled gently at him.

Nodding, Naruto stood up and took her hand.

"Why don't you tell me a story about Sasuke?" she asked.

"Okay. One time Sasuke..." Listening to his story about Sasuke, Hinata tried to force the guilt away. She didn't lie when she said she'd be busy catching up with everything. She had so much to do and not enough time to do it in. She knew Naruto wanted to go home but...

She wasn't ready to say good-bye yet. She wasn't ready to let him go.


End file.
